Patent attributes
An ESD protection circuit suitable for application to an IC. The ESD protection circuit includes a primary discharging component and an ESD detection circuit. The primary discharging component has a control end. The ESD detection circuit comprises a capacitor, a first resistor and a second resistor. The capacitor and the first resistor are formed in series and coupled between the control and a first pad of the IC. The second resistor is coupled between a second pad of the IC and the control end. The primary discharging component is closed during normal power operations, and triggered by the ESD detection circuit during an ESD event. During an ESD event, the capacitance becomes short-circuited, leaving voltages at the control end dominated by a resistive voltage divider formed by the first resistor and the second resistor. The ESD detection circuit provides a suitable voltage to the control end allowing the primary discharging component to release the optimum amount of ESD stress.
